MINOR FUR-BEAEING ANIMALS. 65 



On October 17, 1919, Assistant Agent ChristofFers, assisted by 

 five deputy customs officers, searched the schooner Ozmo, arriving 

 from the Kuskokwim River region, and seized 41 beaver and 4 swan 

 skins. 



On November 26, 1919, Warden O'Conner seized two marten skins 

 from a native named Peter Brown. Prosecution was instituted in 

 the United States commissioner's court at Haines against Brown 

 for having illegally taken skins in his possession. He was tried on 

 December 29 and was fined S25 and costs. 



On November 30, 1919, Warden O'Connor seized 69 muskrat skins 

 at Haines from Harry Lindberg, a fur buyer. Lindberg was arraigned 

 before the United States commissioner for havmg unprime skins m 

 his possession, but the case against him was dismissed with the 

 imderstanding that he would testify in behalf of the Government 

 against Tom Lahey from whom he had pm-chased the skins. Lahey 

 was charged with trapping muskrats in the close season, but at the 

 trial in the United States commissioner's court at Juneau on Decem- 

 ber 13, 1919, the jury returned a verdict of not guilty. Tiie court 

 returned the skins. 



On December 21, 1919, N. A. T. Joe was convicted before the 

 United States commissioner at St. Michael of killing a mink on 

 October 4, 1919. He was sentenced to 60 days in jail. 



During the year two fur-seal skins, whi(;h had not been properly 

 authenticated, were received by Furisten Bros. & Co. Both had 

 apparently been taken by fishermen, one being sent in by John 

 Michelson of Sointula, British Columbia, and the other by Charles 

 Landberg of Neah Bay, Wash. They were accordingly confiscated 

 by the Government and will be sold by the company at public auction. 



SALES OF SEIZED SKINS. 



During the calendar year 1919, the following seized skins were 

 sold at public auction: In St. Louis, 8 fur-seal skins; and in Seattle, 

 753 beaver, 92 marten, 54 mink, 7 weasel, 3 lynx, 32 muskrat, 1 

 cross-fox, 20 swan skins, and 42 pounds of beaver castors. The 

 gross amount received was SI 6,236.27. Commission and other 

 expenses amounted to $866.75, leaving a balance of $15,369.52 

 turned into the United States Treasury. A few seized skins remained 

 unsold at the end of the year. 



FUR FARMING. 



Fur farming in Alaska is largely concerned with the propagation 

 of foxes, though occasionally attempts are made to raise in captivity 

 minks and martens, but without success. Foxes lend themselves 

 more easily to domestication, especially the blue variety, and are 

 exceptionally prolific under favora])le conditions. Their skins have 

 a comparatively high value at this time, which fact, coupled with 

 that of easy breeding, constitutes sufficient inducement to the venture- 

 some to engage in the industry, not^vithstandiIlg that the business is 

 attended with risks and discouraging vicissitudes. 



As in other undertakings, some failures were caused by careless and 

 indifferent attention to business; others were due to the selection of 



